1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a golf club head and a method of manufacturing the same and, more particularly, to a golf club head suitable as an iron type golf club head and a method of manufacturing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
An iron type golf club head has grooves called scorelines, which are formed in its face surface. It is often the case that a plated layer is formed on at least the face surface of the club head in order to, for example, increase the hardness of the face surface and improve its corrosion resistance and appearance.
In a conventional method of manufacturing an iron type golf club head coated with a plated layer, at least the face surface of a head base body before scorelines are formed in the face surface is grooved to form the scorelines in it and is plated (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-277185). In this patent reference, after the plating, the plated layer is blasted to facilitate getting a back spin.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2008-23178 describes a golf club head having cutting traces formed in its face surface by milling the face surface (by cutting it using a milling machine). This patent reference describes that the milling is preferably performed without forming any plated layer on the face surface.
As in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-277185, when the face surface of a head base body is grooved to form scorelines in it and is plated, the accuracy of the edges of the scorelines, on which their groove side surfaces and the face surface intersect with each other, deteriorates. That is, when the face surface of a head base body is grooved to form scorelines in it, the edges of the scorelines, on which their groove side surfaces and the face surface intersect with each other, have an ideal edge shape, but the edge accuracy deteriorates upon forming a plated layer on the face surface in order to, for example, improve its durability, because the plated layer has a certain thickness.